Beloved FedUp Supporters,

My pastor's heart has been singing these past few weeks! Our winter experiment of LiftUp has been well received. Since the beginning of 2024 we’ve gathered for worship at 10am inside the Growing Hope Farmers Marketplace Hall. A brunch from 11am-1pm has followed every service (except on the third Sunday when our friends from Around the Kitchen Table host their monthly brunch). Through our church plant, LiftUp, we’ve gotten to know so many new people, shared in our community’s joy and triumphs, and journeyed alongside folks who are having some of their worst days. Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday were extra special for us, seeing more faces than we’ve seen all season long. God is good!! 

As we enter into this season of Easter – remember, we Lutherans celebrate Easter for 50 days and not just one day – know that you are loved more than you could ever fathom. We all are. Easter reminds us we are not the worst thing we’ve ever done. The terrible things that have happened to us do not define us. Our God rolls away the stones that trap us in the tomb. Our God calls us out of death and into abundant life here and now.

May you experience new and abundant life this Easter season. 

Come and visit us soon!

Pastor Anna

Mark your calendars! FedUp is hosting our annual Backyard BBQ Fundraiser on June 28 at the Ypsilanti Freighthouse. More info coming soon!

Crystal Cabose (she/her) was introduced to FedUp by a close friend and board member, Sarah. During that time Crystal had wrapped up almost 16 years with Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley. While at Habitat, Crystal held various roles thought her 16 years, starting as Office Manager/Finance Assistant, and ended her time there as the Senior Director of Housing Counseling and Education. Crystal loved her time at Habitat, and all of the people she worked with, and she looks forward to sharing her love, knowledge and, and experiences while supporting the awesome FedUp crew! 

When Crystal isn’t busy sharing her thoughts and ideas with anyone who will listen; she is enjoying time with her son, Braeden (14), daughter, Lillian (8), and her husband, Nigel. Let’s not forget about her absolute favorite family member, Kono, her BIG Maine Coon kitty! Crystal also has a love of live music and finds it very relaxing and therapeutic!

Y'all saw us introduce them as a fantastic volunteer, but now we're so excited to announce that they've come on our staff, too! G (they/them) works in our shower program but is always eager to help out wherever needed. We're so grateful to have them on the team! G is working with FedUp because a year ago they were experiencing homelessness. "I was blessed to stumble upon their food truck for a free meal. The inspiration and worth I have found for myself through the values of FedUp is profound. Through that, it is shaping me into the person I want to become and for that I will forever be grateful.” - G

John (he/him) is a fundraiser from Toronto, Canada. He is a new volunteer at FedUp helping the organization develop a culture of fundraising to better serve the people of our community. He graduated from the University of King's College with a BA Hons in Contemporary Philosophy & Religious Studies. After starting and leading his own theater company, John moved into the world of fundraising, working at CAMH Foundation as well as Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. In his free time, he likes running, rock climbing, anything basketball (Go Raptors!), cooking, and painting miniatures for his D&D games. He is currently living in Ann Arbor with his spouse and pets.

As FedUp’s first clinical social work intern, it has been a great learning experience to build a new program from scratch. Our new program, Thrive, will offer low-barrier group and individual therapy to FedUp’s guests and neighbors who are newly housed or employed. Our first group therapy session focused on the impacts of trauma and the importance of having safe places to process and be heard. We can’t wait to see how the sessions grow going forward.

– Luna

Justice minded-folk, you are invited! The Southeast Michigan Synod of the ELCA’s second annual Justice Summit is scheduled for April 27th. Learn more about how the ELCA supports immigrants and refugees, creates open and affirming worship spaces, strives to make antiracist worshiping communities, and so much more!

Just like last year, FedUp will serve lunch, AND FedUp team members will lead a workshop titled “Living Into Our Values.” The description is below. You don’t want to miss this amazing – and free – event! 

The workshop Living Into Our Values, based on Brené Brown's work, will help you explore questions about what you value individually and collectively and how your ministry can share those values with others. In the words of Brené Brown, "Living into our values means that we do more than profess our values, we practice them. We walk our talk—we are clear about what we believe and hold important, and we take care that our intentions, words, thoughts, and behaviors align with those beliefs." Every church, ministry, and organizational leader will benefit from this type of introspective work.

Just a few days ago on March 31st, we celebrated Transgender Day of Visibility! This day is meant to celebrate transgender and non-binary people and also bring awareness to the discrimination and violence that they face worldwide. As we move into April, we continue to celebrate generations of activism and accomplishments by trans and non-binary people. 

International Transgender Day of Visibility was founded by Rachel Crandall-Crocker, a psychotherapist and the executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group Transgender Michigan. This year marks the 15th annual celebration of Trans Day of Visibility! Here are a few things everyone can do to respect our trans folks:

• Use the correct name and pronouns.
• If you hear someone using a trans person’s name or pronouns incorrectly, check in with the trans person and speak up.
• Advocate and vote for trans rights.

We’ve made a lot of progress over the last couple of years, but we are still fighting for basic rights for the transgender community. Today and every day, we must support and honor trans and non-binary folks. 

From our LiftUp Easter worship service:

Transforming God, we give you thanks for Trans Day of Visibility which is today. We are grateful for our transgender siblings in our midst. There’s something special and interconnected about the risen Jesus coming out of the tomb with a body that is unrecognizable to his followers. It isn’t the same, but it also very much is. Life can appear where once only death was experienced. Love always wins in the end. God of Grace,
receive our prayer.

If you want to learn more about how you can celebrate and support Trans Day of Visibility, click here.

March was National Social Work Month! Our team consists of several members within the social work profession. This is the perfect time to learn more about how social workers contribute to our community and celebrate the profession! 

The theme for Social Work Month 2024 was Empowering Social Workers. With housing and food insecurity, the opioid addiction crisis, and suicide rates on the rise, we have a greater need for social workers than ever before. Social workers aim to help with these issues and are trained to assist individuals, families, and even communities at large. You can find social workers in a variety of settings, including hospitals, schools, government, and even corporations. 

Social work is one of the fastest growing professions in the United States. It is also one of the more undervalued and underpaid professions, especially considering most social work jobs require a master’s degree and an expensive licensure process. You can support social workers during March and in the future by supporting legislation that empowers social workers, such as student loan debt relief and social work safety legislation.

Our team is SO GRATEFUL for our partnership with the University of Michigan's social work department and we're even more thankful for the amazing MSW interns who have come to FedUp through this partnership. Their hard work and dedication to the profession has helped make us who we are today.

Last month, a few members of our team were privileged to attend New Detroit's Town Hall focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). As a coalition dedicated to fostering racial equity and understanding within Metro Detroit, New Detroit is committed to policy and system changes. Their efforts span education, training, services, research, and various programs aimed at combating racism across interpersonal, institutional, and systemic dimensions.

We couldn't say goodbye to March without acknowledging Women's History Month and the legacy it brings! Women's History Month celebrates the contributions and achievements of women throughout history and honors their impact on society. In the realm of social work, many women have played pivotal roles. We can thank early pioneers like Jane Addams, who established Hull House and started the settlement house movement. She worked to establish social services like legal aid, an employment office, childcare, and training in crafting and domestic skills to people in the community. Today, countless women continue to make an impact in our community and in society worldwide!

Women are at the forefront of creating meaningful change, both in the past and the present. We extend our gratitude to women like Tarana Burke, founder of the "Me Too" movement, whose advocacy has empowered survivors of sexual violence; Malala Yousafzai, an education activist in Pakistan whose unwavering dedication to education has inspired millions globally; and Kimberlé Crenshaw, who coined the term "intersectionality" and continues to challenge systems of oppression. Their tireless efforts exemplify the spirit of Women's History Month. 

Even though Women's History Month has ended, let’s continue to uplift the women in all of our lives and honor their legacies. We are so grateful to all the strong female figures that help make our community such a great place!